Venetian blind structure



April 28, 1953 c. s. EvANs 2,636,522

VENETIAN BLIND STRUCTURE Filed April 21, 1947 :Fig/ Ffg. 2 22 46 35 /NVENToR Patented pr. 28, 1953 l VENETIAN BLIND STRUCTURE Charles S. Evans, Atherton, Calif., assigner to Calnetian Blinds, Incorporated, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of California Application April 21, 1947, Serial No. 742,830

My invention relates to ladder tapes for Venetian blinds, and to means for securing the blind slats in the ladder tape.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a ladder tape having twin rung tapes of relatively thin and relatively wide cross section such as afforded by a plurality of warp threads or by a narrow woven tape.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for detachably connecting the rung tapes to the slats.

The invention possesses other objects, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the following description wherein are explained those forms of the invention which have been selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification. In said drawings, illustrative forms of the invention are shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to those forms, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of other forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are diagrammatic plan views of two different ladder tapes of my invention. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic side view of either ladder tape shown in Figures l and 2.

.Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views respectively of the tapes shown in Figures 1 and 2 when opened out. Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the ladder tape shown in Figure 5, with the snap slide, comprising the means for connecting the slat to the rung tapes, in place; and showing the position of the conventional lifting cord for raising and lowering the slats. Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section view of the ladder tapes of a two-tape blind, showing a slat in typical relation to the rung tapes and snap slide.

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively plan and side views of one form of snap slide; and Figures 10 and 1l are respectively plan and side views of another form. Figure 12 is a sectional View through the snap slide taken in a plane indicated by the line |Z-l2 of Figure 8. y

This invention has to do with Venetian blinds of the general character shown in my copending application Serial No. 719,347, filed December 31, 1946, but chiefly concerns theladder tape and snap fastener elements. It is therefore believed unnecessary to show and describe the general blind structure which is largely conventional.

The conventional laddertape is mainly of two broad types, the woven or warp thread rung arranged staggered 'formation on'th'eI webs, and

5 claims. (01.139-384) the double or twin-cord rung evenly spaced on the webs.

on the webs, and contribute to a tendency to uneven folding of the webs when the blind is raised. The twin-cord rung imparts a degree of undesirable stiffness to the webs, and is more eX- pensive to-produce.

The ladder tape ofthe present invention possesses the advantages of both of the conventional tapes with the faults of neither, by providing twin rung tapes of warp thread or woven type. This tape may be produced with looms and by methods closely analogous to those currently in use to produce the staggered rung tape, as will be seen by reference to Figures l, 2 and 3 of the drawings in which the two vertical webs 2 and 3 are connected by two series of staggered rungs, l and 5 on one side of the center line l, and 8 and 9 on the other side. are evenly spaced on each side of the center line. In Figure 3 the two webs are shown slightly separated but still connected by the short tape I2 formed between the attachment areas i3, in

In Figure 2 the arrangement of rung tapes is the same as in'Figure 1, except that the areas lli of attachment of rung tapes and webs are laterally opposite in the two inner rung series I6 and Il, and also in the two outer series 2l and 22, instead of being staggered as in Figure 1. When the ladder webs of Figure 2 are cut apart and opened up, the rung tapes are as shown in Figure 5, each twin pair of rung tapes being spaced symmetrically with respect to the vertical center plane which passes through the vertical center line 23 of the webs.

It will be observed that while the spacing apart of the tapes of one pair of rung tapes is relatively close, the distance 24 being conveniently somewhat wider than the width of a rung tape, so as to allow plenty of space for the lifting cord 26; the spacing of the tapes of the next adjacent pair is considerably greater, the distance 2l between them being a trifle greater than the overall width of the adjacent pair. necessary because each series of rung tapes in the weaving must lie in parallelism and not overlapping.

Because of itsveven spacing of rung tapes on each side of the center vertical plane, the ladder The staggered rung tapes while lowy in productioncosts distribute stresses unevenlyl These series This of course is other reason for this preference lies in the closer spacing of alternate pairs of rung tapes to which the slats are secured.

In rigging a ladder tape at each end of the tilt rail in a blind, care is taken to stagger the narrowly spaced rung tapes ld and ll with reference to the two ladder tapes, so that as shown in Figure 7 each s lat I8 is supported at one end by the narrowly spaced rung tapes l and Il, and at the other end by the more widely spaced ones 2l and 22. The distance between the vertical tapes 2 and 3 is enough greater than the width of the Slat to give space for the lifting cord 2t which extends along the insidei of onejof. the

webs between it and the slats. Where but two lifting cords are used, they are placed on opposite sides cf the slats as shown.N Under-thenext adjacent Slat, the positions of narrowly spaced and widely spaced rung tapes is reversed.

But one connection between a slat and the rung tapes is needed to retain the Slat-in perfect siliently and releasably in the complementaryl fastener element of the slat; and the looped tabs which furnish a free slideway for and enclose each of the twin rung tapes which support it and the connected slat.

Because it is very desirable to have the slats even and Smooth to facilitate taking them out of tile ladder tapes and putting them back; as well as to facilitate cleaning them while disassembled, the eye member of the fastener combination is preferably placed in the slat; and in this case is merely a small round hole 32 punched in the slat, preferably when it is cut to length. The companion member of the fastener comprises a resilientA stud 33 of a typev similar to that long used in gloves, and commonly known` asthe bird-cage stud. This fastener is mounted in the center of the main body portion 34 of a thin plate of resilient metal such as hard brass.

The ends of the plate on each side forming a tab, are turned downwardly atabout 45 in the portion 35, then outwardly and around to form aflat loop 36 asY shown in Figure 9. On each outer edge a portion of the bend of the loop is cut away as shown in Figure 8, so that the two flat sides of the loop are connected only by short sections 3l. This reduces stiffness and gives the loop a soft or easy resilience. The terminal edge of the tab over part of its length is turned inwardly to provide a lip 38, which rests resiliently against the opposite face of the tab. One end edge 39 of the lip lies at right angles to the long edge, but the opposite end edge 49 merges into the edge portion 4l of the tab, which curves away from the lip edge to provide a V-shaped notchk 42'. This construction which provides a continuous V-shaped notch between theedge lil- 4l and the opposing surface of the slide permits the easy insertion of the rung tape in the loop by drawing the tape into the notch between tab and body and under the resiliently closed lip, the lip then preventing escape except by special manipulation of tape and slide. Disengagement may readily be effected by moving the slide along the tape, while` turning the slide to direct the tape sharply into, the notch.,

It is intended that once assembled on the rung tapes, the snap slide will not be freed by ordinary use movements, but if for any reason it is necessary to do so, the slide may be detached.

With the rung tapes of a pair confined in the loops of a snap slide, and the stud engaged in the eye of the slat, the slat is securely retained in end-alignment with the other slats; and adjusts itself to any angular setting by sliding laterally on the rung tapes, in the same manner and as freely as the opposite unconnected end. Separation of the .slat from the slide, and withdrawal rof the slat from the ladder tapes for cleaning or replacement is as readily accomplished as unsnapping and removing a loose glove; and replacing the slat is equally simple.

Although butl one snap slide for each slat is necessary',vand therefore but one eyelet hole 32 is required, it is preferred to punch an eyelet hole at each end of the slat, so that in assembling the slats in the blind it is unnecessary -to match ends With the slides, either end fitting. It is also desirable to relieve the slaty a smallk amount along the edge adjacent the lifting cords so that so far as practicable, the slat isfree of contact with` the cords. This is done by cutting out a fiat segment 43 ,directly opposite each eyelet hole. The edge at the relieved part is left smooth and without corners, sothat the slat does not catch'on therlifting cords asv it is withdraw-n or inserted and may be washed or wiped without catching the cloth.`

In Figures l0 and ll are shown a-modification ofthe slide. In structure and purpose it is generally similar to the slide of Figure 8, but different means is used to retain the tape permanently in the loop, once it is caught therein. The loop tabllf on each side ends in a straight edge 4l, spaced from the portion 35. This interval at each end of the edge 4l is closed by softly resilient tongues 48, which extend out from the main body 34 to engage the under side of the tab end. The tongues readily bend downwardly to permit the tape to enter the loop, but latch-like prevent disengagement of the tape. This slide once attached cannot readily be taken off.

I claim:

1. A ladder tape for a Venetian blind comprising a. pair of spaced vertical webs, and pairs of rung tapes connecting the vertical tapes, the rung tapes of each pair lying in the same horizontal plane and on `opposite sides of the vertical center plane through the vertical center line of the vertical webs, oneof the rung tapes of said pair being offset from said vertical center plane more than the other rung tape by an amount at least equal to the width of the rung tape.

2. A ladder tape for a Venetian blind comprising a pair of spaced vertical webs, and pairs of rung tapes connecting the vertical tapes, the rung tapes of each pair lying in the same horizontal plane and on opposite sides of the vertical center plane through the vertical center line of the vertical webs, one of the. rung tapes of said pair being odset from said vertical center plane more than the. other rung tape by an amount at least equal to the width of the rung tape and the tapes of the next adjacent pair of rung tapes being oifset from the vertical center plane in the same amount as the rst named pair of rung tapes but in the opposite direction.

3.` A ladder tape for a Venetian blind comprising a pair of spaced vertical webs, and pairs of rung tapes connecting the vertical tapes, the rung tapes` of each pair lying in the same horizontal plane and on opposite sides of the vertical center plane through the vertical center line of the vertical Webs, the rung tapes of any two adjacent pairs lying in different zones dened by vertical planes parallel to the vertical center plane.

4. A ladder tape for a Venetian blind comprising a pair of spaced Vertical Webs, and pairs of rung tapes connecting the Vertical tapes, the rung tapes of each pair lying in the same horizontal plane and on opposite sides of the vertical center plane through the vertical center line of the vertical webs, the rung tapes of each pair being spaced equally on each side of the vertical center plane, the rung tapes of one of two adjacent pairs lying Within a zone dened by vertical planes parallel to the vertical center plane and passing on the inside of the rung tapes of the adjacent pair.

5. A ladder tape for a Venetian blind comprising a pair of spaced webs, and a succession of pairs of at rungs woven at their ends into the Webs to connect the webs, the at rungs of each pair lying in the same plane at right angles to the edges of the Webs, the inner edge of each rung in a pair being olset laterally from the inner edge of the opposite rung of the next adjacent pair and from va plane intersecting the longitudinal center line of each web whereby a clear space is provided between the inner edges of the rungs and extending longitudinally of the ladder tape.

CHARLESS. EVANS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,031,981 Runge Feb. 25,1936 2,054,241 Burns Sept. 15, 1936 2,123,817 Warren July 12, 1938 2,142,900 Hinlein et al. Jan. 3, 1939 2,238,465 French Apr. 15, 1941 2,311,716 Walker Feb. 23, 1943 2,381,060 Kahn Aug. 7, 1945 

